MISCELLANEOUS OCCURRENCES IN ABERDEEN, FROM THE YEAR 1633 TO 1704. 1633 A severe storm of wind and snow, on the 7th February, demolished the imperial crown of King's College, and injured many houses in the town 1634 Famine prevailed in Caithness and Orkney, and supplies given by the town to the inhabi tants of these places 1635 The citizens prosecuted, at the instance of the Earl of Kinnoul, for concealed money 1637 A transport, having on board ninety-two soldiers, was driven out of the harbour by an overflowing of the river Dee, and wrecked, the whole persons on board having perished 1640 The General Assembly met at Aberdeen, and a guard of the citizens was appointed to attend it 1644 Alexander Irvine of Kingcausie was barbarously slain by William Forbes, natural son to John Forbes of Leslie, near the town; for which the assassin received 2000 merks from the Committee of Estates 1645 The pestilence broke out at Peterhead 1647 Ritchie de Kincardine crematus fuit ob venerem nefandam cum æqua 1649 Gold and silver work, made within the town, ordered, by the magistrates and council, to be assayed by William Anderson, goldsmith, and stamped with the town's mark 1654 Order from his Highness the Lord Protector, for the union of the two kingdoms, proclaimed at Aberdeen 1657 A great fire in the town extinguished by the English soldiers, for which they received twenty rix-dollars from the magistrates 1658 Richard Cromwell proclaimed, at Aberdeen, Protector, on the death of his father, Oliver Cromwell 1659 A watch of forty men appointed, for the protection of the town in the night time Dr. James Leslie was appointed physician to the poor of the town, with an annual salary of 1661 A plan of the town made by Mr. James Gordon, minister of Rothiemay, for which he received a silver cup, weighing 20 ounces, and a silk gown to his wife. The plan ordered to be sent to Holland, to be engraved 1664 The pestilence raging in Holland, measures were adopted by the magistrates to prevent infection of the inhabitants 1665 An English frigate put into the harbour, to be repaired 1666 Wainscott or oaken coffins prohibited to be used at interments, either in the church or church-yard 1667 Dr. John Menzies, Professor of Divinity in Marischal College, held a public disputation with Mr. Dempster, alias Lagane, a Jesuit. The whole ordered to be printed, at the expense of the Dean of Guild 1669 An accidental fire broke out, in the head of the Shiprow, in the night of the October, by which several houses were burnt to the ground, and the inhabitants suffered considerable loss 1670 Funerals in the town ordered to take place betwixt sun-rising and sun-setting, to prevent accidents. Two persons dangerously wounded at a funeral, betwixt 10 and 11 o'clock at night 1672 Thomas Mercer, late Dean of Guild, fined in L.500 Scots, for defaming the town's ministers, and imprisoned until he made a palinode 1674 William Ogilvie permitted to set up a cooking shop in the town Alex. Bruce, baker in Edinburgh, allowed to supply the inhabitants with bread, and admitted burgess, on account of the bakers of the town being deficient in baking good bread 1681 Two Students of Divinity, from Poland, supported at the expence of the town during their studies, for promoting the Protestant religion 1687 The funeral of the Laird of Drum, in Drum's Aisle, attended by the magistrates and the citizens, under arms 1689 The Pope tried, condemned, and burnt in effigy, at the cross of Aberdeen, 11th January, by the Students of the Marischal College, in number 99 1698 Three of the town's serjeants deprived of their offices, imprisoned, put in the stocks, and fed on bread and water, for some time, and afterwards banished from the town, with their wives and families, for ever, for allowing James Gordon, brother of Arradoul, to escape from prison, he being committed for the murder of George Leith of Overhall A nunnery of six young women, four priests, and a Popish school, kept by two women, for young children, established at Aberdeen 1703 The public bells of the town ordered to be rung at eight, in place of nine o'clock at night CHAPTER CHAPTER V. SECTION II. Political affairs of the borough-Public debt contracted during the civil wars, &c.-Opposition by the Burgesses to Assessments-Ecclesiastical authority-Quakers-Character and habits of the people, &c. -Trade, and progress of Manufactures, &c.-Post Office-Progress of Printing-George Jamieson, painter, &c.-Pestilence and famine-Various domestic matters-Table of Mortmains for benevolent purposes of Assessments, &c.-of Births-and of Prices of Provisions, &c. FROM A.D. 1633 To A.D. 1707. IN reviewing the public transactions during the former part of this æra, nothing has been discovered but the violence of party spirit, and the fury of civil contention, excited by religious bigotry; a continual struggle maintained between the crown and the people; and a total disregard to civil government. From these topics we shall turn, in order to give some account of those domestic matters which occurred; to examine the progress of trade and manufactures, and useful arts; and to offer some sketches of the manners and habits of the people. The constitution of Aberdeen having been completely established in the end of the sixteenth century, its political affairs continued to be conducted for several years, undisturbed by any dissensions among the leading men of the council, or by any struggles between them and the burgesses. In the year 1623, an act of council was passed, ordering the members to be dressed in gowns when they attended public meetings, and when they repaired to the church on Sundays and preaching preaching days, as was the practice in other royal boroughs. In puritanical times, it was ordained, that the council should commence and close its proceedings with prayer; and the provost, or the chief magistrate present, was ordered to officiate in that religious ob In the year 1634, there commenced one of those grievances of which the people had so much cause to complain, namely, the extension of the royal prerogative, by Charles I. and his son James VII. and their exercise of authority in the administration of the royal boroughs of Scotland. About that period, the civil affairs of the town were under the direction of Patrick Leslie of Eden, who filled the office of chief magistrate, and had represented the borough in parliament. At Michaelmas, this year, Mr. Leslie had been duly elected provost, in the usual manner; but, having incurred the king's displeasure by his conduct in parliament, it was his Majesty's pleasure that he should be removed from the office, and Sir Paul Menzies elected in his place.† This having been communicated to the baillies and council by a royal mandate, Mr. Leslie resigned, and Sir Paul Menzies was appointed chief magistrate. Their ready and obsequious compliance with the royal commands was very gratifying to the king; and, in a subsequent letter, he was pleased to testify his approbation, and signify his thanks to the council. It would * Council Register, vol. li. p. 39. vol. liii. p. 129. +"CHARLES R.-Trusty and well beloved, we greet you well. Whereas we are informed of some seditious convocations practised amongst you, coming, as we hear, especially from the election you have lately made of one Patrick Leslie for your provost, whom we were informed to have wronged your trust in his carriage at our late parliament, and, therefore, to have deserved no such charge. And, in regard we have always formerly found you forward for our service, and accordingly have dispensed our favour to you in what might concern your liberties and privileges; now, being careful of that which may concern our service, and the peace and weal of that our city, in redressing of the abuses past, and preventing the like inconvenience, it is our pleasure, for that effect, that you remove the said Patrick Leslie from being your provost, and, in his place, we wish you to make choice of Sir Paull Menzies, who was formerly in that charge. So, not doubting of the performance of this our pleasure, we bid you farewell, from our Court at Whitehall, the 10th December, 1634."-[Council Register, vol. lii. p. 198.] CHARLES R.-Trusty and well beloved, we greet you well. Understanding of your willing and ready obedience to our letter, in removing your late provost, and accepting Sir Paull Menzies, would appear, however, that this arbitrary measure had been extremely displeasing to the party in the council who supported Mr. Leslie; and perhaps he would have been chosen to the office of provost, at the subsequent election, had not the king adopted measures to prevent it. On the usual day fixed for the nomination of the new council, the bishop of Aberdeen and the sheriff of the county attended, and required that the election should be postponed till his Majesty's pleasure should be known. A motion for an adjournment having been made, was, however, negatived by a majority of nine to seven; but the council, being thus overawed by the bishop, thought proper to suspend, at this time, all further proceedings.* Meanwhile, a mandate was transmitted from the Lord High Chancellor to the council, requiring them neither to elect Mr. Leslie to the office of provost, nor to suffer him to have a vote in the council. The king afterwards issued his letters, commanding them to meet on Wednesday the 7th October, and to proceed to the election in the usual manner. At this meeting Mr. Leslie appeared in the character of a counsellor, and tendered his vote, which, according to the directions of the Lord Chancellor, was rejected. The majority being, by these means, unfavourable to Mr. Leslie, Robert Johnston was chosen provost. † This election, however, does not appear to have coincided altogether with the king's intentions, and, therefore, became the subject of a question before the lords of the privy council, at his command. On the 20th January, 1636, they found, "that the election had not been made in that fair and peaceable manner which became dutiful I i and knight, in that charge; we do therein acknowledge your good affection to our service, and give you hearty thanks for the same, assuring you that hereafter we will be sparing to give any such farther order, unless there be some special occasion moving us thereunto. As for your signature sent unto us for ratifying your liberties, we have at this time returned the same to our advocate, to be conferred with the last ratification of our late royal father, and if nothing be materially disconform, or if any things be added by you of new, whereby we, nor none of our good subjects, are prejudiced, that he forthwith cause expede the same, under our cachet and seals; otherwise, to return it, docketed by him, unto us, that it may pass our signature here, and be returned back for that purpose. We bid you farewell, from our Court at Whythall, the twelfth day of February, 1635."—[Council Register, vol. lii. p. 203.] * Council Register, vol. 52. p. 217, et seq. + Ibid. vol. lii. p. 219, et seq. |